Search Results | Hagley Digital Archives

Title: What silicon can do
Date(s): 1953
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: This picture shows silicon and what researchers expect it to do. The pure element, in the form manufactured by DuPont, is below the ruler. Before it can be used it must be melted down to a solid mass, as at lower left and traces of other elements added. Then it is drawn into single crystals and formed into tiny wafers for diodes (top right) and transistors (the three center items). Transistors and diodes are expected to eliminate many relatively bulky vacuum tubes (left, above mass of silicon...
Show moreThis picture shows silicon and what researchers expect it to do. The pure element, in the form manufactured by DuPont, is below the ruler. Before it can be used it must be melted down to a solid mass, as at lower left and traces of other elements added. Then it is drawn into single crystals and formed into tiny wafers for diodes (top right) and transistors (the three center items). Transistors and diodes are expected to eliminate many relatively bulky vacuum tubes (left, above mass of silicon). Result will be more compact electronics equipment. Although smaller, the equipment will be more powerful and more accurate. All this means better and highly complicated electric 'brains', better radar, more company radios and improved televise with less power regiments among other things. Silicon is attractive in the electronics field because of its ability to withstand higher temperatures and to handle more power than other semi conductors. Since DuPont is not in the electronic business, the development of uses for silicon depends upon its evaluation by customers experience in this field. DuPont is continuing research on the production process.
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Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3345
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Magnified crystalline aggregates of silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Crystalline aggregates of silicon look somewhat like short rough jack straws. The DuPont Company manufactures silicon as a pure element in this form. In this photo, as indicated by the short ruler, the 'spikes' appear about twice their actual size.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3347
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Magnified crystalline aggregates of silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Crystalline aggregates of silicon look somewhat like short rough jack straws. The DuPont Company manufactures silicon as a pure element in this form. In this photo, as indicated by the short ruler, the 'spikes' appear about twice their actual size.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3346
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Micrograph of silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: A micrograph of the gray, sparklingly 'dense' silicon as manufactured by the Pigments Department of the DuPont Company Newport, Delaware. It is magnified four times.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3342
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Enlarged crystals of silicon form a sparkling pattern
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Enlarged crystals of silicon form a sparkling pattern. These 'spikes', enlarged about three times, are made by the Pigments Department of the DuPont Company.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3344
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Chemist in a DuPont Company laboratory measures out a pound of pure silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Chemist in a DuPont Company laboratory measures out a pound of pure silicon as produced in the company's small pilot unit. DuPont is continuing research on the production process but since the company is not in the electronics business, the development of uses depends upon the evaluation of silicon by customers experienced in this field.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3352
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: One pound of pure silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: This is one pound of pure silicon crystal as manufactured by the DuPont Company's Pigments Department at Newport, Delaware. The hand gives some comparison for size. When melted down-the next step in the manufacture-this will make almost a cupful of what is known as 'dense' silicon.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3341
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Chemist in a DuPont Company laboratory measures out a pound of pure silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Chemist in a DuPont Company laboratory measures out a pound of pure silicon as produced in the company's small pilot unit. DuPont is continuing research on the production process but since the company is not in the electronics business, the development of uses depends upon the evaluation of silicon by customers experienced in this field.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3351
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Enlarged crystals of silicon form a sparkling pattern
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Enlarged crystals of silicon form a sparkling pattern. These 'spikes', enlarged about three times, are made by the Pigments Department of the DuPont Company.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3343
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Packaging hyper pure silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Hyper pure silicon product of DuPont research, is packaged in a double thickness polyethylene and then inserted in metal containers before shipment from the company's new plant. Extreme care is taken in packaging silicon to guard against contamination. Impurities in DuPont silicon are measured in only a few parts per billion. Silicon is a vital part of transistors and numerous other electronic devices.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3353
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Float zone refining of silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: This physical research chemist at DuPont's Experimental Station is using an analog computer to determine temperature characteristics of a bar of silicon undergoing refinement by the floating zone technique which involves gradual moving of the silicon through a furnace so that a small part of the bar is molten at a time. Research such as this on an existing product is required to maintain the company's position in the highly competitive chemical industry.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3339
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: A worker weighs out two pounds of densified silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Since dust would contaminate the silicon, finishing areas at the Newport plant of the DuPont Company are kept hospital clean and works wear white surgical gowns, white hats and handle the material only with spotless white gloved hands. Here a worker weighs out two pounds of densified silicon.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3350
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Inspecting silicon prior to shipment
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Before it is shipped to the customer from the Newport, Delaware plant of DuPont's Pigments Department, each individual piece of 'dense' silicon is individually inspected. Impurities are removed to the point where remaining quantities are too minute to be analyzed chemically.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3336
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Operator at DuPont's new silicon plant at Brevard, North Carolina 'picking' silicon needles.
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Operator at DuPont's new silicon plant at Brevard, North Carolina 'picking' silicon needles. This method of inspection helps maintain high purity standards of DuPont silicon. The material, a non metallic element, is used in such devices as transistors, diodes and rectifiers, which in turn are used in manufacturing more compact, more efficient communication and electronic equipment. While silicon and its compound are well known in the industry, it is the pure element developed by DuPont...
Show moreOperator at DuPont's new silicon plant at Brevard, North Carolina 'picking' silicon needles. This method of inspection helps maintain high purity standards of DuPont silicon. The material, a non metallic element, is used in such devices as transistors, diodes and rectifiers, which in turn are used in manufacturing more compact, more efficient communication and electronic equipment. While silicon and its compound are well known in the industry, it is the pure element developed by DuPont research that has become important in the electronics field.
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Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3335
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Oven drying of silicon at DuPont's new plant at Brevard, North Carolina
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Oven drying of silicon at DuPont's new plant at Brevard, North Carolina. In this process, silicon needles are dried after a demineralized water wash. The Brevard plant has an annual capacity of 70,000 pounds of silicon a year. Silicon of ultra high purity is used in the manufacture of electronic devices and solar cell batteries.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3340
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs

Title: Float zone refining of silicon
Date(s): 1955
Contributor(s): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator)
Description: Float zone refining of silicon at DuPont's Pigments Sales Service Laboratory at Chestnut Run. This technique is used to remove impurities, measured in part per million in this extremely pure product. Tiny slivers of silicon are used as semiconductors in transistors and other electronic devices and in solar batteries to help convert the sun's energy into electricity.
Collection ID: DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341)
Hagley ID: 1972341_3337
Collection: DuPont Product Information photographs